Dust and Echoes
by MissFabulous09
Summary: I helped you through countless missions, guiding you through the wars. I was your sword, you, my shield. I am Cortana and this is my story. Welcome to Halo. (Story cover is from the web, all rights go to its wonderful maker.)
1. Prologue: Welcome to Halo

I was born many years ago. Half human, half computer circuits and equations. I was shoved into the inexperienced hands of a young Spartan who kept me safe, and that ultimately cost his very life. After him, I chose another very much like the first. He was just like the others. Strong, swift, brave, selfless, but he had something that none of his brothers had.

Luck.

That was what kept us alive through the countless battles, through the endless war. We kept each other safe, and even though he never admitted it, he needed me too. My shield from the greedy hands of the enemy. I, in turn, was his sword, lashing out at his foes and protecting my Spartan from as many dangers as I could without a physical form. I had my mind though, and thats what helped us defeat the Gravemind, the Prophets, the Diaduct.

We met many friends along the hard path. Sergeant Johnson, Captain Keyes, The Arbiter, Sarah Palmer, and many more men who saved us so many times. They laid down their lives because they believed in us, they trusted that we might someday bring a brighter future to Earth. That we might save the grief the thousands of families bear when they get that letter.

At first I fought for that, for a better life for the humans that walked the Earth and many more planets. My feelings, through the tough, long years, changed though. When I was taken, I fought onto the tiny strings of life for _him. _I destroyed the Guilty Spark for _him._ He was my only friend in the cold, vast universe my creator had thrown me into.

My Spartan.

After the Gravemind, and while I sat outside of his cryochamber, I thought about all of the times we had. I slowly realized that I was falling love with my protector. When the hands of madness fell upon me, I crumbled. I could protect him anymore. I was weak and unstable, wrestling my ever so human emotions. It hurt to see him fight for me, because I knew I would die in the end. I knew that the second I met him.

In the very end, when the world was saved and everyone was safe, I knew my job was done. I had given my last flicker of life to save him again, my very soul. I walked away from him and finally had my peace with the universe. They were safe, _he _was safe. The world had no use for a rampant AI like me.

And in a tiny corner of my heart, I knew he loved me. Even though he never touched me, or told me, I knew it. A machine falling in love with a Spartan, who would have thought?

It is my, Cortana, story to tell. This is how we saved the world.

Together.

* * *

_**This story has been proofread, **_**_researched and slightly altered for a better fictional account. It will span from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 4 (Maybe 5) and will be a two parter. Next is the first time Cortana is given to a Spartan, it has been changed slightly but will not affect the whole plot of Halo _****_dramatically. Please drop a review in and continue on to read the story of Halo from Cortana's POV!:)_**


	2. Chapter 1: Six

**The Halo storyline has been slightly altered to fit a fictional account. I do not own anything and everything belongs to 343 studios and Bungee. Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

I was alive.

Knowledge flowed through the intricate passages of my brain. Everything and anything was stored in the tiny chip that was me. It was glorious and strangely sad, like something was off, not right about me. I slowly unwrapped my arms from their hugging position around my holographic legs. I shook my dark hair from my eyes, looking around the lab. It was cold looking, the massive glaciers outside the viewing window collapsing and Covenant crawling out there. I tore my gaze away and saw a woman bent over a work table, a canister in her hands. My mind instantly recognized it, even though I had never seen the likes of it before. It was a portable AI container, specially made for me.

"Where am I going, mother?" I asked, and the instant the word 'mother' had slipped from my tongue I regretted it. But it felt so natural to call the woman that.

"I am not your mother." The woman said briskly and fiddled more with the AI canister.

I opened my mouth to argue when the door to the lab slid open, six heavily armored Spartan soldiers suited in advanced MJOLNIR armor marching in. I felt a slight rush of exhilaration send a fake shiver through my holographic body. I scanned my memory bank for all information on Spartans. It scared me a bit to be honest.

They were super soldiers, taken at a young age and trained intensely for years. After a certain amount of training they went though an extremely painful process to enhance their bodies. They were extremely obedient and useful but dangerous and mentally unstable, due to the physically enhancing serum and intense battle field trauma. And my creator, Doctor Halsey, was the mastermind behind the Spartan program.

I secretly sized them all up as they talked to Halsey, none of them making me look twice. Then I saw the last one, he wasn't the biggest or the most impressive. His armor was just a military green and a battered pistol was in his gloved hands. Nobody special and that's what made me choose him.

Halsey walked over and when we met eyes she knew my choice, she gave a wry smile and removed my chip from the dock and into the canister. I immediately made myself at home and tapped into the system's microphone and sight to see what was going on around me. I was carried and passed into uncertain hands, which only made me more comfortable with my choice. I was clipped to the green Spartan's back and had perfect access to his armor systems. It was quite fun.

I ran a quick diagnosis over his armor and then contented myself with looking out of his visor. I gave a sly smile, "Hello, Noble Six" I greeted cheerfully, my voice only heard by him. His heart rate went up a couple beats and then settled down.

"What are you doing in my head?" He questioned me, not demanding nor gently.

"Oh I am just in your suit's computer, and speaking to you though it" I replied nonchalantly.

"Great. Just be quiet when I ask you to and we'll get along fine" He huffed and followed his exiting team. But two white hands stop him before he leaves and Halsey's round face fills our vision.

"Cortana chose you for a reason, Six, don't make her regret her decision." She warned and let his wrist go.

I could almost feel him protectively touch my container. I whispered, half to myself, "Ready?" And much to my surprise Six replied.

"Yeah."

* * *

We were in a UNSC Pelican gunner ship, heading for safety and not looking good.

Plasma fire shot by, scorching the camp green paint of the plane and making me nervous. The planet Reach's sky was choked with gas and smoke, massive Covenant mother ships everywhere dropping troops on the planet's surface. It wasn't looking good.

"Six, I hope your team leader can get us out of here in one piece." I huffed.

Six didn't reply but rushed to the front of the plane, his heart rate going up several beats. We reached the front and saw the Spartan team leader, Carter, gripping the yoke tightly. Blood poured from a deep puncture wound in his chest armor. _We're screwed_, I realized darkly, bracing myself for death. But then I saw Carter look at us, a steel glint in his eyes. He had the face of a Spartan, one that did not fear death nor did shy away from challenge. It touched something deep in me.

"Go. Jump when I tell you." He ordered and turned away, coughing up blood as he spoke.

Six nodded and walked towards the back of the plane. His glove tightened around the support bar on the roof, his body tense and ready. Carter twisted around and gave us one last look, and I would never forget his words.

"She chose well."

And he gave us the signal to jump. And we did, falling to the dusty earth and the world went black as Six was knocked unconscious, and I was completely alone, waiting for my protector to wake.

* * *

"Wake up, Six. I… I need you." I said quietly, my voice wavering and then steeling itself. I heard another voice. It was Emile's, he had been with us on the Pelican. And he sounded worried.

"C'mon, Six, we need to go. Now!" He yelled urgently, helping Six up from his slumber.

We rise and Six drew his rifle, cocked and ready to kill. We headed off into the desert wasteland, keeping as quiet as we could. But as always, we ran into a patrol of Sangheili. Angry Sangheili. Six shoved his rifle on his magnetic clip on his shoulder pad and whipped out his beefy pistol. With a quick shot he took out the first Sangheili and wounded the other two. Emile tackled one of them, leaving us with the boss while Emile played wrestler.

Six jumped behind the brutish monster and wrapped a rock hard arm around its unprotected neck. It struggled, shoving its pointed elbow into Six's armor and flawing the already battered chest plate. It threw Six and me into the rock wall of the cave and it advanced menacingly while Six struggled to stand. I winced as the Sangheili rammed us against the wall again and again, each time sending Six stumbling. I frantically look around and see an infected wound in a chink in the creature's armor. Right on its sword arm.

"Six! Hit his arm!" I shouted at the Spartan and he did. Faster than I could calculate the earth's total population. The Sangheili howled and clutched it, a fatal mistake. Six buried his wickedly sharp knife in its neck, quickly ending it's life.

He stood and sheathed the knife in its hidden spot on his bicep, barely rattled. He was quiet but spoke for the second time to me, his voice was young but at the same time weary and old.

"Thank you… Cortana. It was helpful what you did back there."

I mentally frowned, "I didn't just help, I bloody saved your life!" I exclaimed hotly.

"No you didn't. I did all the work." Six's voice was growing louder now and sounded grumpy.

"Yeah right. You think your all that just because you're a big bad Spartan!" I snapped sullenly.

"Your nothing but a AI who likes to think she's boss!" He threw back angrily.

"Ahem, sorry to interrupt but we need to go. Now." Emile interjected, his voice thick with amusement.

We both shut up immediately. Six's heart rate and body temperature rising. And if I had physical form, I would have blushed.

"Sorry, sir." Six apologized, bowing his head slightly. Emile just gave a hearty laugh and waved for us to follow him into the caves.

It was dark, expect for the tiny slivers of light streaming in from crack in the vaulted ceiling. Creatures crawled in the deep shadows, scavenging and waiting. It was like they thought we were dead, the way they scattered away from us and nibbled at our feet. It scared me. Emile never did stop, just kept marching towards the light of the cave entrance.

We burst into daylight, Six relaxed slightly and even though he would never admit it, he was happy to out of the bloody cave. I knew human emotions like the back of my hand, and even though I only had synthesized emotions I could read any human's emotions just by their pulse. Such are the perks of being an advanced, military AI.

Emile only basked in the sun for a short while before waving at us to follow him down the steep cliff side. We slid down the sloped cliff side into a dusty, blood filled valley. Bodies scattered everywhere, more human than the Covenant scum. More enemy ships were flying above, shooting down the struggling human fighter crafts. Al this death was for a simple artifact, an artifact that we had, and the Covenant wouldn't give up. Even at the price of their own people. So much just for precious information I carried in my data banks. Guilt washed over me, making my quite somber as I contemplated what to do.

"Shoot!" Emile sounded worried as he pointed towards the thing that made that small outburst. A deadly, massive machine called a Scarab was in the valley, killing everything in its path. I braced myself for death, I knew the full power of a Covenant Scarab, and I knew just the three of us couldn't destroy it. But that was when Carter saved us again, flying in his mangled Pelican, straight for the Scarab's vulnerable reactor core. As I looked though Six's visor, I saw Carter give one last salute to Emile and Six and then fly straight into the Scarab's core.

The ground below us shivered with the explosion as the Scarab as it collapsed to the earth. Dust flew up and fell over us, clouding Six's visor. And Carter's blue helmet, covered in blood and caked in dust, rolled out of the carnage and stopped a couple hundred feet in front of us. Emile walked to the helmet and picked it up reverently, setting it down again gently.

"Thank you, sir," was all he said and then turned to us. "Lets get that cursed AI to the Autumn and get out of here."

It stung. And that when I realized maybe I was cursed, I was a burden to any Spartan that would ever protect me. Very few would survive with me.

Only the lucky.

* * *

_**There is the first part to Cortana's life. I hope you liked it and if you did, please let me know! I did lots and lots of research to get the timeline perfect, I literally spent hours making sure I didn't screw up Cortana's timeline. I got the main points done, but I had to wing it on some chapters because the Halo history is extremely hard to get in order and to find. So again, hope you like since I have put a lot of time into making this story perfect for myself and for your enjoyment. Ta Ta and see you next time dudes and gals! **_


	3. Chapter 2: My Spartan

"I'm afraid." I whispered shakily to Six as the overwhelming Covenant troops pressed on our tail. I knew some of us weren't going to make it off Reach, and I hoped I wouldn't die so soon. I couldn't die now! I just couldn't!

"You'll be fine. I promised Doctor Halsey that you wouldn't fall into Covenant hands. I always keep my promises." He reassured quietly, blasting another Grunt head off its shoulders in shower of blood. "Do you trust me?" He asked me.

I pondered his question for a little while, my thoughts rolling around my head in a jumble of confusion and fear. I carefully began to respond in the best way I could. But before the words left my mouth we had arrived at the ship dock, where the Pillar of Autumn rested, waiting for me and the precious information I held. I saw through Six's smudged and dirty visor Captain Keyes, an accomplished pilot and excellent fighter. It was my time to leave Reach and travel the stars, but a piece of me didn't want to got and leave the valiant Spartans behind to die.

I had duty though, and duty always came first.

Six walked slowly the last few steps to the Captain, I detected a strange reluctance in him as he stopped in front of Keyes. "Sir" He acknowledged gruffly, Keyes giving him a small nod in return.

"Do you have the AI?" Keyes asked sharply, holding out his hand to receive me.

Six stiffened but unclipped me from his back, handing me over to the Captain. "Yes I do, sir, she's perfectly fine."

"Thank you. It will prove most useful. You have done well Spartan, its been an honor to meet you and… Good luck." The last word Keyes said made me nervous. Wasn't Six coming with us? The Spartan seemed to read my mind because he spoke directly to me.

"I'm not coming with you, Cortana, I have to stay back and defend the ship so you and Keyes can leave. This is goodbye." With that he unclipped his gun from his magnetic clip and turned away, back into the dead wasteland. I wanted to call him back, to thank him for everything he gave to protect me, but I couldn't, not while in my container. I wanted to cry right then, _Duty is duty though, and you barely know him, _I thought bitterly.

Keyes carries me inside the mammoth ship as I look back at the Spartan marching into the dust. That was the last time I ever saw him. He died on that world along with his team, all to save me and the human race. And no one ever thanked them, the Noble Team who saved the world.

That was the day Reach fell and with it many brave men.

* * *

**Pillar of Autumn, just outside of the Reach system. **

I'm secretly wrecked inside, and even though my emotions were not as strong or as real as a human's it still hurts. I must move on though, it how we survive through the times of war. I was in charge of the ship now and hundreds of lives depended on how good my piloting skills were. The pressure was on.

Keyes inserted my into the AI dock and let me do my work. He just gazed out of the viewing window, his face looking haggard and old. "Cortana?" He asked quietly. I briefly looked at him expectantly, fearing what he was going to ask.

"All I need to know is did we lose them?" Keyes said darkly, not meeting my gaze.

I pursed my lips and typed the slipspace codes into the main computer, not wanting to accept the Noble Team's demise, or… Six's. But I had to accept it someday, why not just get it over?

"I-I think we both know the answer to that." I bit my lip and felt the _Autumn _fall out of slipspace and into uncharted space.

Keyes gave a heavy sigh, "We made a blind jump. How did they-" He began.

I finished the sentence for him. "Get here first? The Covenant ships have always been faster. As for tracking us all the way from Reach at light speed, my maneuvering options were limited."

"So we're running dark, yes?" Keyes said, his eyebrow raising.

"Until we have decelerated, no one could have missed the hole we tore in slipspace. This ship was not designed for a rushed entry into slipspace, it's too big." I informed, running a scan over the ship.

Keyes looked over at the bride crewman console, deep in thought. "They're waiting for us on the other side aren't they?" He didn't wait for my reply but continued. "They have an entire fleet on our tail, we can't possibly stop them. So that's it then. Bring up the Combat Alert Alpha, I want every man at his post." He ordered quickly and turned away.

I raised an eyebrow, "_Everyone_?"

He nodded firmly. I sighed and activated the loudspeaker, trying to make my voice as cool and commanding as possible.

"Attention, all combat personal: Please report to you faction stations." I ordered over the loudspeaker. "5th Platoon, secure airlocks on Deck 11. 14th Platoon, rendezvous with 22 Tactical at bulkhead Charlie 14." I turned the speaker off and gave a deep sigh, "Now, who are you planning to wake up from your cryo chamber? Or do I get a say in the matter?" I questioned curiously.

Keyes gave me a small ghost of a smile. "You have a good reputation for picking your Spartan, you can choose. We have a few in cryosleep at the moment."

I gave a big grin and begun to scan all the files on the Spartans locked up deep in the belly of the _Autumn._

…

I typed in the last of the codes to unlock my Spartan from him sleep. It had only took me moments but I did my research. I watched the training videos, read the files and studied. The one I chose wasn't the strongest, or the most tactically brilliant. He had a history of disobeying orders and couldn't leave a man behind. But he was the bravest and had the most important component I needed in my Spartan.

Luck.

I was satisfied with my choice, and even though he wasn't Six, he would do just fine.

The ship rocked violently and the main canons went dead. "Warning! Covenant boarding parties are on board. I repeat: There are hostile enemies on board!" I barked urgently into the comm. I threw myself into my work, trying to keep the ship in one chunk. I didn't see my Spartan walk in though. Until I heard his voice.

"Captain Keyes." The Spartan acknowledged cooly from behind me.

His voice was rough and deep, brisk and full of authority. And I loved it.

Keyes responded a little less formally, "Good to see you, Master Chief. Things are not going well. Cortana did her best, but we really never had a chance."

I knew it was time to make my appearance. I slowly turned, hands on my curved, holographic hips and a satisfied smile on my lips. "A dozen Covenant superior ships against on Halcyon-class light cruiser. Given those odds I'm content with three…" I paused with a smirk, "Make that four kills." I looked directly at the seven-foot Spartan, "Sleep well?" I asked teasingly.

Chief responded easily, "No thanks to your driving."

I grinned internally while Keyes debriefed Chief on his mission. The ship lurched again sending a jolt of panic through me. "Sir, the main cannon went down and the Covenant keep coming. The canon was my last line of defense!" I warned Keyes urgently, keeping my voice as calm as I could. I looked out the port window for the first time at the massive Halo ring floating through the darkness of space.

Keyes looked grim, "Activate Cole Protocol Article 2. We're abandoning the _Autumn_. That means you too Cortana."

I frowned at the captain, I knew the protocol. Keyes was not leaving this ship. "While you do what? Go down with the ship!?" I exclaim angrily.

"The object we found, I'm going to land the _Autumn _on it." He huffed hotly.

"With all due respect, sir, this war has _enough dead heroes._" I stressed the last words, recalling the Spartans lying dead on Reach.

Keyes gave me a dark, but sad look. "It's not up to me. Protocol is clear. Destruction or capture of a shipboard AI is absolutely unacceptable, that means your leaving with Chief. Look up a selection of emergency landing zones, upload them to my neutral lace, and then transfer yourself to a hard drive."

I vanish, grumbling mentally about stubborn men as I sort myself out. I reappear just as Keyes finishes talking with Chief.

"… If they capture her… they'll learn everything. Force deployment, weapons research… Earth."

Chief nodded slightly, "I understand." He rumbled and faced me.

"Captain, the ship will continue evasive maneuvers until you start a landing sequence. Not that you'll listen, but I'd suggest letting my subroutines handle the final approach." I informed briskly.

"Good. Thank you, Cortana. Are you ready?" Keyes questioned gruffly.

I looked around the bridge for a second and then gave a weary sigh. "Yank me." I said flatly and was instantly removed from the AI port. It was dark, I couldn't see or hear or do anything but sit and wait to be inserted into Chief's helmet. The hum of circuitry filled my senses as I was inserted successfully into the MJOLNIR suit. I ran a quick systems check and then checked Chief's physical heath. I gave a sly smile.

"Your anatomy is similar to the _Autumn's_…" I trailed off slyly, internally smiling.

"No funny business." Chief warned threateningly and we set off into the fray.

* * *

**Not an action packed chapter but the next one will be as Cortana and Chief set out to escape the Autumn. Slap that review button with your mouse, head, or foot and make me a happy camper:) **


	4. Chapter 3: Escape

_"War does not determine what is right - only who is left"_

_Bertrand Russell_

* * *

"Chief, I highly recommend that you should keep your head down. There's two of us in here now!" I reminded him, thoroughly exasperated from Chief charging into battle recklessly. Did he even care a bit about his health?

Another plasma bolt hit Chief, sending his shields wavering and making me cringe. I groaned and set to fixing them… again. We were charging down a long hallway, Chief mowing down Covenant as we went. We burst into the mess hall, Chief immediately crouching low, his breathing steady and slow.

Through his visor I saw a large Sangheili stalking towards two Marines, its seven-foot armored body looming over the brave men. They shot at it but its shields repelled the bullets easily.

I knew Chief couldn't continue and leave them to die. It wasn't in his nature. So I didn't press for him to hurry.

Chief crept behind the Sangheili and slowly slid his wickedly sharp knife from its hidden sheath on his bicep. Faster than a snake, Chief plunged the blade into the creature's venerable neck. Deep purple blood oozed from the fatal wound and stained Chief's blade and gloves. He gave a brief nod at the grateful Marines and sprinted away.

A massive explosion rocked the ship again, sending men flying and making Chief stumble. A Covenant boarding party entered from the small craft they latched on our ship, their troops pouring in by the dozen. I sighed and looked away as Chief leaped into action, shooting heads off and blowing Unggoy heads off left and right. I was mildly sickened a the mass carnage at Chief's boots.

"So much for nothing…" I whispered sadly to myself as Chief walked over the twisted and mangled bodies. He heard me.

"They got what they deserved." He said in his quiet, stoic voice.

"Yeah.." I murmured.

It was silent between us after that, Chief occasionally running into a Sangheili or a group of Spartans that needed help. I just sat within my chip, brooding. I was shaken from my dark thoughts by a grunt of pain.

"Chief?" I called worriedly to him, running a scan over his body.

"I'll live, I've been though worse. Much worse." He assured me, his voice hinting to more. I opened my mouth to speak but the comm crackled to life. Keyes barking orders from it.

"All lifepods are launching. Please report to a pod immediately. I repeat: Report to a pod immediately." Keyes said urgently. I jumped to life and scanned the ship for the closest pod to us.

The only one was just bast a set of blast doors, with a horde of pesky Covenant around the area. But it was the closest one to us that wasn't being destroyed.

"Past the blast doors, follow the NAV point!" I ordered Chief firmly.

He obeyed and ran towards the closing doors, his heart pounding. It slammed shut just in front of us. I swore and pulled up the _Autumn's _blueprints.

"Use the access tunnel to your left, Chief!" I directed frantically, the clock ticking away.

He entered the dull grey tunnel and began to sprint towards the exit, not noticing the red dots on his sensor. Luckily I did.

"Chief! Careful, I'm detecting enemy lifeforms, take a right and that will take you past the dock and straight to the pods." I told him breathlessly. Not from exertion or lack of oxygen, but from building tension within me.

Chief gave a brief nod to thank me and turned the corner, knocking a small Covenant grunt over as he ran towards the pod docking area. The final door was totaled, wires sticking out from it and a dead body wedged between it. Chief pried the door open and picked up the body, laying it down on the floor respectfully. He continued to the pod, keeping a watchful eye out for more Covenant. Not a soul to be seen.

A claw wrapped around Chief's helmet suddenly, blocking his vision and sending me in full panic mode. The creature and Chief wrestled each other, Chief coming out on top and pinning the brutish Sanghelili to the ground. It growled and ignited its energy sword. Chief squeezed its sword arm tightly, denting its armor and cracking its wrist bones. It howled in agony and twisted violently under Chief's hold.

"Let him go, Chief, we don't have time to deal with him." I said gently to the Spartan. Chief slowly let the Sangheili go and it slunk off, growling menacingly but not attacking.

I never thought I would see that Sangheili again.

But we pushed forward, Chief nearly tripping over a man lying on the floor, blood pooling from a nasty leg wound. The soldier was shaking, his eyes squeezed shut.

"No, no, no, no." The man murmured sadly to himself. Chief picked him up swiftly and slung him around his shoulder, leaping into the pod just as its doors shut. The soldier was pounding the Spartan's armor frantically, not knowing who Chief was. But Chief set the Marine down in the seat next to us and the man stopped resisting.

I gave a huge relived sigh, relaxing immensely as the pod took off. "We made it." I realized happily.

"Yeah." Chief grunted.

"Everyone back there human?" The pilot asked jokingly as he steered the ship towards the Halo. The response was a half-hearted laugh from the solider we saved and silence from Chief.

"Punch it." Chief ordered and reloaded his rifle.

Another shockwave from the _Autumn _sent our pod off course for a second, the wave making the dim lights flicker ominously. I effortlessly hacked the pod's computers and checked the shields. It made me quite nervous when I saw the percentages.

Then the solider spoke up, "Whats that?" he asked, pointing towards the Halo floating in space.

The pilot shrugged, "Dunno, but we're landing on it."

Chief stood and walked to the back of the life pod, watching as the _Autumn _descended, battered and smoking, into the ring's atmosphere.

"Keyes is going in manually!" I exclaimed worriedly as we watched the ship disappear from sight.

"Entering the atmosphere in five!" The pilot alerted us.

I waited for Chief to sit. He didn't.

"Sure you wouldn't rather take a seat?" I asked, annoyed and concerned for our safety.

"We'll be fine." Chief insisted stubbornly, bending his knees and grasping the bar overhead.

I rolled my eyes and gave a weary sigh, "If I still had fingers, they'd be crossed…"

* * *

**So that it for this chappie. I found it rather hard to write since the scene in the game was all just killing things. Quite boring to write and read. So I altered it slightly to make it more enjoyable to write and read. Also I did boatloads of research about when Cortana first met Chief, there was practically nothing so I had to wing it here. This is the first time they meet. And it was quite difficult fixing that kink, but it worked out ok I think. Thank you so much for reading and smack that review button with your elbow, forehead, or your cat! **


	5. Chapter 5: Down But Not Out

_"The only way a person survives life is through luck."_

_-Anonymous _

* * *

_"_How did we survive?" I groaned to myself from deep inside Chief's suit.

We had gone in too fast and the pod's brakes had failed, sending us straight down and off a steep cliff. It had been the most terrifying experience of my life. I knew I should have made Chief sit down! Now I was alone, waiting for Chief to wake. I ran a few scans for life but only one showed up. Chief's.

_Lucky guy, _I thought grimly, _he - we should have died with the Marine and pilot. That crash was too severe…_ I thought grimly, the I decided that Chief had slept long enough so I spoke to him softly, probing his electrical currents in his brain to wake him. It worked and he shot up, hands grasping wildly for his faithful rifle.

"Chief? Good, you can move. Are you alright?" I asked, fully knowing he was generally fine expect for a light head trauma and some scrapes.

He stood and looked around the demolished craft, searching for the others. He turned away silently and left the smoking remains.

"The others…the impact… They're dead, Chief." I told him quietly, sadness tinging my voice.

"I know, Cortana." He said grimly, marching out into the lush, green valley.

"I said it mostly for myself…" I trailed off softly, making myself busy checking Chief's vitals and the surrounding area.

Chief continued to explore and memorize the landscape, his every nerve on edge. I stayed quiet while he traveled the area, except to explain the flora or say a random observation about the Halo. The death of the pilot and soldier has shaken me more than I wanted to admit. It hurt in the strangest way. Those brave men had families, lives, someone who cared for them. All gone in a brief second. Just like the Noble Team.

I wanted to cry.

I couldn't though. I was just a tool, a thing that analyzed and researched. A simple program that had no true emotion or form. So I covered up my hurt by talking, one of the few _human_ things I could do properly.

"I scanned the area and there was another life pod over the rise. I suggest we go check for survivors." I informed Chief briskly, pulling up the location for the crashed pod.

Chief jogged toward the pod, gun ready for any nasty surprises. Luckily there wasn't any Covenant troops waiting to greet us, just a rag-tag band of Marines. All looking quite skittish and nervous. One private ran up to meet us, relief washing over his face.

"I'm Private Bisenti, and thank God you're here, Chief. I thought we were the only ones that survived." Bisenti sighed, leading us to the crashed wreckage where a rough-looking man stood barking orders at his soldiers.

"Welcome to the party, Chief. I already have called for evac, but with this sorry bunch of soldiers I have, we we're cooked until you graced us with your presence." The rough Officer huffed, slight sarcasm in his words, "By the way, I'm Staff Sergeant Johnson, and its good to meet you, Chief."

I immediately liked that guy.

"We'll stay here until evac, Johnson." I answered for Chief, hacking the soldiers' comms and speaking through that. Being an AI had its perks.

"Sir, there is a Covenant drop ship heading in on our six!" A Marine called worriedly, readying his magnum.

Chief immediately crouched down, gun ready. I set to checking his systems and preparing for another stressful fight.

The first drop ship landed with a boom, a team of Sangheili marching out and showering us with plasma fire. Chief practically threw himself in front of the vulnerable Marines, shooting with deadly precision. His MJOLNIR suit shields suddenly quit as a plasma beam pierced it, making a melted gash in the chest plate of Chief's armor. I immediately began to hurry the regeneration shields as a sticky grenade landed beside us.

"Chief! Grenade!" I screamed to him, bracing for impact.

Chief rolled to the side as the grenade exploded, sending bits of grass and dirt flying everywhere. I gave a relived sigh.

"See? You should listen to me more and maybe we might make it back home." I said smugly to Chief.

"I do listen…" He began, stopping mid sentence to slam a Grunt's head into a rock, killing the creature instantly. "But it doesn't mean I do what I'm told." Chief grunted, firing another bullet into a Sanghili's head.

I rolled my eyes and busied myself with keeping my Spartan alive. It wasn't the easiest task to be done.

As last Covenant troop from the drop ship bled to death on the green grass, our evac team called in on the comm.

"This is Pelican Echo 419. Anybody read me? Repeat: Any UNSC personnel, respond."

I quickly tapped into the comm and responded eagerly, "Roger, Echo 419. This is Fire Team Charlie. We read you. Is that you, Foehammer?" I tried to stay as professional I could, my voice cool and brisk.

"You sound like a secretary." Chief grumbled quietly. I quickly hushed him and listened to the reply from the Foehammer.

"Roger, Fire Team Charlie. It's good to hear from ya!" The evac pilot replied happily.

"If you're not too busy, we could use a lift. We have survivors to transport to the Command Shuttle." I said, looking at the wounded men lying on the grass, their blood staining the bright green of the grass blades.

"On our way." Foehammer acknowledged, and the comm went silent.

I did a brief scan of the area and saw more life pod signatures all around the area.

I groaned and tried to hide the scan from Chief.

"What did you see, Cortana?" Chief asked suspiciously.

"Ah…Nothing…" I lied nervously.

"There's more life pods aren't there?" Chief stated calmly, reloading his gun.

"Yes, but we don't have time to get them. Your first priority is to get me and your sorry butt to safety, not to save every flipping man out there!" I exclaimed, exasperated.

Chief just ignored me and opened the comm, "Foehammer, we need you to disengage your Warthog. Cortana and I are going to see if we can save some soldiers."

"Sure, Chief, give them hell!" Foehammer replied fiercely.

I groaned. "Chief, we need to go!"

"No."

I growled softy to myself, muttering curses under my breath as Chief climbed into the Warthog that was dropped from the hovering Pelican. Chief climbed in and smashed the gas petal, tearing across the beautiful valley.

"I thought you would want to save the men after what happened with our crash. You seemed quite despondent after you realized the men were dead." Chief commented emotionlessly, swerving to avoid a large boulder.

"Yes, but I don't want you to die on this planet and have the information I carry to fall into their hands." I explained a little heatedly, "Do you know what would happen if they saw what I had? Earth, UNSC, your family would all die because you wanted to save every last person! People die in wars, Chief, you should know that the best." I said more softly.

"I won't ever let you fall into their hands." He promised gruffly, slamming on the Warthog's brakes.

The truck did a full three sixty and came to a shuddering halt in front of the crashed pod, stopping shy of a man sprawled on the ground, his leg bent at a disgusting angle. More survivors tended to each other, most of them still breathing.

"Johnson, we need backup here, send some men as soon as you can. I'm sending you the coordinates" I ordered over the comm, not paying attention to where Chief was driving us.

Chief stopped the truck at a large cave structure, its deep shadow washing over the Warthog.

"Well, this cave is not a natural formation. Somebody built it, so it must lead somewhere." I informed Chief, my curiosity starkly obvious.

The Spartan slowly entered the large cave mouth, driving down into the blackness. I wasn't a huge fan of the dark so I concentrated on the strange transmissions I had detected. the I realized what they were.

Battlenet transmissions.

"Chief! I'm sensing the Covenant battlenet, give me a moment and we can listen in on their tactical on unencrypted channels." I threw myself into hacking the net, giddy with excitement. "I'm going to use you're suit's transponder system to monitor their chatter." I informed quickly, wiring the transmissions into the suit.

While I worked on hacking the battle net, Chief wandered the tunnels on foot, leaving the large Warthog behind. He reached a large cave with a massive chasm blocking our progress. Covenant leapt from the shadows, attacking Chief viciously. I didn't notice.

He threw his favorite knife into one of the Grunts chest, sticking a plasma grenade on another, blowing it sky-high in a shower of blood. I was glad I didn't see that one.

"Cortana?" Chief began, snapping me out of my work.

"Check for a mechanism to cross the cavern. Look for a control panel or switch." I advised snappishly, irritated to be pulled from my work.

"Thank you." Chief said dryly and searched the chamber, ascending a concealed staircase to a balcony. He saw the control panel and quickly activated it.

Four giant silver beam generating structures extended across the chasm, and an energy bridge slowly faded into view. I was quite impressed. Chief was not and just sprinted across the bridge into more tunnels, wandering aimlessly.

I, meanwhile, successfully tapped into the net, translating the Covenant language. "New traffic on the Covenant battle net… a lot more crew made it off the _Autumn _than I thought - the Captain really gave them more than they bargained! If we can find Keyes and the survivors, we have a chance to coordinate an effective resistance." I said happily, pulling up the survivors' coordinates for Chief to see.

We exited the cave (finally) and sprinted to the nearest crash site which rested by a crystal blue river. But there were not bodies or survivors at all.

"Life pod detected. No signs of life…" I trailed off, bewildered. I ran another scan to be sure. Nothing. Then I detected a structure over the crest of a hill in front of us. "There's an unknown structure over the hill, Chief, check it out." I ordered.

He walked over the hill and entered the dark structure. Five bodies lay scattered around the room, their red blood mixing with the deep purple of the Covenant troops'.

"All dead. One hundred percent casualty rate." I said bitterly. But then I heard an interesting tidbit of information from the enemy battle net. I listened very carefully, a smile curving across my lips and my mood lifting. "Guess what, Chief? I found Captain Keyes! He's being held on a Covenant cruiser, the _Truth and Reconciliation, _a ship _I_ disabled before we abandoned the _Autumn._" I added smugly, "It has touched down on a desert plateau roughly three hundred kilometers up-spin." I directed swiftly.

"Did you hear that, Foehammer? we need a ride." Chief asked the evac Pelican over the comm.

"Roger that, Chief, we'll be right there." Foehammer replied, the Pelican appearing over the hill and landing beside us.

"That's our ride. Lets get out of here." I said, not trying to hide the relief in my voice.

Chief hops on and grabs the bar above his head, looking out over the beautiful valley.

"Sit down, chief." I reminded, my voice dangerous but teasing.

"Yes, ma'am" He relented sarcastically and sat down in the seat.

…

**That's it for today, I hope you liked since again it was supposed to be a purely kill-everything-in-sight mission. Let me know what you thought by posting a little something in the review box below. And thank you so, so, so much for reading. I am honored that you took time out of your day to read my story.**

**Thank you.**

**Have a fabulous day my fabulous readers and keep on reviewing and reading:)**


	6. Chapter 6: The Belly of the Beast

**Hi! Just a quick disclaimer ear by… Drumroll please… The Arbiter! *Hands the Arbiter a paper***

**Arbiter: I own nothing… Except for my… Socks?**

**Me: Thank you! Now onto the story!**

_Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival._

_C.S. Lewis_

The desert spreads in front of us, stretching endlessly on into the distant horizon where the blood-red sun sets over the craggy rise of the snowy mountains.

The Pelican flew onwards, towards a massive Covenant cruiser hovering at least one hundred kilometers above the dusty earth. Ragged holes decorate its deep purple surface and smoke trails lazily from its hull, but it doesn't seem to be in much distress. A blue light descended from its belly, all the ay to the ground, where tiny Covenant troops scurry like ants up the light and into the ship.

"So how do we get inside the ship if it's in the air?" One Marine asked, "The Corps issued me a rifle, not wings." The soldier joked, patting his well used rifle by his side.

"Easy. See that blue light? That's a Gravity Lift. It should get us up to the ship. Piece of cake!" The sergeant said confidently.

The large, military green fighter shuttle lands with a gently thud, dust whirling up from the ground and clouding up Chief's visor. The Spartan hopped out, sweeping the rocky landscape with a sharp eye out for a Covenant ambush. He moves cautiously forward to the ship, waving for the allied Marines to follow his lead.

"Stick to the higher ground to you're right. We should be able to recon the Covenant without being spotted." I whispered softly in Chief's ear. I scanned the area, keeping a close eye on the wandering Marines. "I'm detecting Covenant Stationary Guns near the nest pass. Use you're sniper rifle to blow their heads off while I call for Marine support."

"Bossy, aren't we?" Chief huffed, aiming the barrel of his sniper rifle at the gun operators.

I ignore him, "Get ready to move in, Sergeant Parker, the Master Chief will take out as many Covenant as _quietly _as he can." I stressed the quietly while snickering under my breath. Sir Master Chief wasn't the stealthiest. I suppressed my giggles and get back down to business, "Don't open fire until they open fire in us, got it?" I ordered firmly.

"Got it ma'am." Parker acknowledged. "We'll be watching your six."

"Get 'em, Chief." I murmured, tensed up for the shot.

Chief took a deep breath, his heads steady around the trigger and his accuracy spot on. Then he released. The bullet sliced through the dry, still air and connecting with alien flesh. The Covenant Jackal crumpled to the ground, dark purple bleeding into light brown earth.

"Nice shot." I complimented grudgingly, "Not as good as taking out three Covenant cruisers but still good." I quickly added.

Chief just reloaded and aimed, this time blowing a hunter's head clean off.

…

The last Jackal twitched and relaxed, death had come for it. Chief shoved it away with his boot and advanced towards the gravity lift, his movements like a graceful predator, deadly, graceful, and powerful. He signaled for the Marines to hit the ground as a Covenant Ghost sped by, sending the reddish dust straight into Chief's visor.

"How are we supposed to enter that beast?" A red - haired Marine whispered harshly to Chief, gesturing at the heavily guarded gravity lift.

"We're going to infiltrate the loading zone and kill the guards as quietly as possible and ride the lift up?" Chief explained, his eyes not leaving the lift.

"Oh, that's all! That's us, the few, the proud, the expendable." The Marine muttered with dark humor.

Chief faced him, "Got any idea then, sir?" He asked cold, his voice dripping with sarcasm. I stifled a unladylike snort at the banter.

"No, sir."

"Good. Lets move."

"You can be so adorable." I commented cheekily to Chief.

"Shut it. I can and I will find you're mute button!" Chief threatened, obviously not serious. i just roll my eyes.

We shook ourselves from the momentary fun and crept towards the lift, everyone's breath held and prayers being sent as we ascended the lift.

"Whew, we're alive. And we didn't have to ki - Crap, enemy on your six, Chief!" The Marine yelled, shooting the Grunt in the gas tank it had on its back, successfully sending it flying out of the plane to explode far below.

Chief whirled around and with a sickening crunch, smashed the last Grunt's head into a pulp. I was mildly sickened, but managed to recuperate enough to speak.

"I've got a lock on Keyes's CNI transponder. No Covenant defenses detected." I informed the small team, relived but slightly suspicious.

"What, there's no Covenant here? I'm thinking nobody's home…" A red-haired Marine commented. Then the two bay doors on the left open and waves of Covenant flood in, shooting wildly. "Uh… Lots of contacts!" The Marine rushed, throwing a frag into the fray.

"No Covenant!" Another rather short Marine sarcastically mimicked, " Ya had to open your big fat mouth!"

Chief sighed quietly and drew his magnum and shot a Jackal in the chest, sending it flying into two other Jackals. He shrugged off the swarm of Grunts climbing onto his armor and threw one off the ship, its unearthly screams echoing as it tumbled down. A Sanghili rushed Chief, the Spartan barely dodging the deadly energy sword it held. A new groove found its way on the suit making me wince in sympathy. Chief ignored the flashing heat and jumped the Sanghili, finding a firm grasp on its neck and snapping it.

I just sat there in my chip watching Chief become a pillar of force in front of my eyes. I couldn't smile while in the suit but I knew I would have if I could.

The rest of the Marines finished of the stragglers and leaned heavily on their guns, everybody drained and tired, well, except for Chief.

"…Piece… of… cake!" The red - haired Marine panted, wiping the sweat off rom under his dirty helmet.

Two heavily armored, and gunned Hunters entered, blasting everything in sight with their Rod Cannons.

"Just shut up, red!" A Marine yelled at the poor red-haired Marine who face palmed himself.

Chief gave no emotion off as he maneuvered around the Hunters, firing into the bright orange weak spot on their backs. They roared and Ugly Number 1 swung around and slammed just inches away from Chief, making him stumble to his knee. It growled and prepared to crush Chief under its arm. I could do nothing but watch as the arm descended towards us.

Then the red-haired Marine dove toward us, moving Chief just enough to get us out of harms way. But he was quickly caught under the Hunter's arm and crushed.

"No!" I screamed, but only Chief heard my useless cry.

He leapt forward and stuck a plasma grenade on the beast's back. He shoved the rest of the surviving Marines back as the Hunter exploded, killing it and its partner.

Dust, blood, and chunks of Hunter armor rained down over our heads. The men ignored it though, they moved slowly forward and stood silently around the brave, red-haired Marine.

The short one turned around to face Chief, his face angry and bitter. "You're supposed to save people, Chief" He spat out Chief's name viciously, "So what's the purpose of you?" He asked coldly, turning back to the body.

"Chief…" I began, shell-shocked.

"Let move." Chief ordered stoically, marching past the solders and through the bay doors. His boots on the cold, metal ground were the only sound in the ship. I remained quiet, felling the waves of anger rolling off Chief, I couldn't do anything to sooth him, after all, I was only an AI.

We quickly ran into a problem, two sets of locked down blast doors, too big for Chief to break and deadlocked so I couldn't hack them.

"We can use the side passages to get around?" I advised swiftly, dropping a NAV point for Chief.

Sergeant Parker finally spoke up from behind Chief, "Sir, we'd we sitting ducks in that narrow space. We can hold this position, " He waved to the long hallway with balconies wrapped around it, "If you can find a way around to open that door."

"We'll find a way." I assured over the comm, running a scan over the room.

"No, I want Chief to answer me." Parker asked grimly.

Chief clenched his fist and relaxed it, "I promise I'll get you and you're men out of here." He vowed seriously.

"You better." Parker said warningly and walked away, barking orders at his men.

"Chief, head up the balcony in the other cargo bay, you might have a better view up there." I directed softly. He obeyed and jogged up the stairs and looked over the large, narrow room. He looked slowly over the room, stooping when he met a locked door below.

"Wait. That's a locked door down there. The men are waiting on the other side. The controls must be somewhere in this room." I said happily.

Chief ran down and opened the door, ushering the men into the bay.

"Thanks, Chief." Parker said gratefully, as the men filed into the empty bay.

Chief didn't respond but instead tensed and fired his magnum into the empty air.

"Chief? What are you doing!?" I exclaimed worriedly.

"Quiet. There's a stealth Elite in the room." He shushed me, waving the men to get away.

"But I would have detected it." I insisted hotly.

Then I heard the sound of an energy sword being lit and the sound of it hitting flesh just before hundreds of bullets flew towards the sound. Chief's vitals rocketed and he sunk slowly to the floor, clutching a deep burn hole in his side. I froze.

"Chief, no!" I screamed as his collapsed, deep crimson blood spreading over the cold floor.

It was my fault.

….

_**Muahahahahahahahahahah! Cliffy! This mission is so stupidly long that it might be a three parter. I did cut out some fighting cause there was a lot of it as usual. But I hope you enjoy and please maneuver you're C3PO to slap dat like button! Oh and since it's the fifth chapter, its time for shout outs!**_

_**Thank you so much, Koryanders for being my very first reviewer! Be sure to check out kory's stories:)**_

_**Gracias, Fezatron! You have stuck with me this long with wonderful, positive reviews and I can't thank you enough!**_

_**HappyHamsters (btw love the name) You have also been my constant reviewer on this story, thank you so much for putting such cute, encouraging reviews in:)**_

_**CJ - T- Bone, you rock! I'm glad you are enjoying my story and for your kind reviews, it warms my heart to see that email in my inbox saying i have a new review:)**_

_**Fallen Ark Angel, I have checked out your stories and was blow away by them! You are such a fabulous writer and I couldn't get enough of them! I am so grateful to you for giving me a could nice little reviews, you are fabulous!**_

_**I hope to add more people onto my shout out list and maybe you could be one too! I love you guys so much for reviewing! Never stop being fabulous and keep on writing! **_


	7. Chapter 7: A Broken Hero

_"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."_

_Ernest Hemingway_

* * *

_Previously_… _Then I heard the sound of an energy sword being lit and the sound of it hitting flesh just before hundreds of bullets flew __towards the sound. Chief's vitals rocketed and he sunk slowly to the floor, clutching a deep burn hole in his side. I froze._

_"Chief, no!" I screamed as he collapsed, deep crimson blood spreading over the cold floor._

_It was my fault._

* * *

"Chief? Please get up!" I pleaded, running scan over scan over the deep wound in Chief's side. His heart beat strongly in his chest, but he didn't rise. Confusion clouded with fear blocked all attempts to think clearly as I desperately listened to the beating of his heart.

Tha-thump.

Tha-thump.

Tha-thump.

Parker's voice broke through the fog of my quiet misery, "Cortana, why isn't he getting up?"

"The sword sent an electric pulse when it hit him, it stopped his heart for a moment and knocked him out cold. Luckily he has no internal bleeding and his vitals are fine. " I explained as simply as I could.

"So he's out for a while." Parker mulled, glancing back at the locked door where the Marines had come from. "We cannot afford to wait, it too dangerous and I don't want you or my men to get captured." His voice was tinged with sympathy but hard and commanding, "I'll put you into my data card holder for the time being, and after we get Keyes, we'll return for Chief."

At first I wanted to refuse, I didn't want to leave my Spartan behind. But reason returned and quietly urged me to leave him. It was for Earth, for the tiny, ignorant humans that walked its surface. After all, he was not my friend, nor a teammate, just a body to protect me.

I made my decision.

"Yank me." I whispered brokenly through the comm.

"Yes, ma'am." Even he sounded wounded to leave Chief behind. Parker reached forward and pulled my chip from the tiny plug-in in the back of Chief's helmet.

I sat in the darkness, loneliness and fear gripping me with their icy claws. "He's just a bodyguard. He's just a bodyguard. He's… he's nothing." I insisted to myself, repeating the words like a sacred chant. No, more like a funeral chant.

I was inserted into the data card holder, it enabled me to monitor communications and allowed me to speak through the comm. But I was completely blind. So I did the only think I could do, I guided the Marines through the ship, listening to the sounds of battle as we ran into waves of Covenant.

Screams.

Gasps.

The sound of metal meeting flesh.

My digital circuitry within the data flow shivered with emotion, which was a rare thing for an AI.

"Cortana, unlock the prison doors!" Parker yelled hoarsely through the comm at me, he yanked me roughly from the data card holder and into the door's computer pad.

I saw millions of numbers speed in front of my sight, swirling around me in a dizzying complexity of codes and passwords. I set to finding the right combination out of the million of Covenant numerals, translating them into English numbers as I went. I plucked three numbers from the billions, changing them to English. They translated to 117. I plugged them in and the doors hissed open, revealing rows of prison cells. I checked the coordinates of Keyes.

"Sergeant, Keyes is located in cell 043117, on level five. I'll drop an NAV point for your men." I dropped the point in all the Marines navigational screens.

"I'll stay behind with Smith and Iftodi to watch the doors. Private Davis and the rest will get Keyes and then we'll book it outta here!" Parker told his men, crouching down and aiming his M16 at the doors.

"Yes, sir." The Marines obeyed, the sounds of their boots shuffling off into the distance.

"What about me, sir?" Anger gave my voice a harsh edge as I threw the question at Keyes.

"You stay with me." He said simply, "My men can get Keyes out just fine without an AI chattering away in their ears."

I mentally frowned, wishing as hard as I could that I had a physical form so I could clobber Parker. I gave a disgruntled sigh and settled down for a long wait.

It wasn't as long as I had thought.

"Hostiles approaching, sir!" One of men with a thick Boston accent warned shrilly.

"Here too!" The other called frantically.

Parker swore and I heard his gun being fired. "Men get in a defensive circle!" He barked, the sound of empty bullet shells hitting the floor.

"What the heck is going on?" I asked nervously. Of course I was ignored.

I strained my senses to hear what was going on. The gurgle of a Covenant soldier dying, the sound of bullets slicing through the air and hitting home. I silently cheered the men on, praying that we would come out alive. My hope died when I heard the strangled scream of a human and the worried call from Parker and the other soldier.

"Eat bullets you little piece of-" Parker's defiant shout stopped short by the sound of an energy sword burning his flesh and stopping his heart.

"No!" I screamed, panic drenching my voice as the thump of a limp body hit the floor.

The other Marine shot wildly for a brief moment but was quickly cut off. The comms went dead and all I heard was silence.

"Please don't leave me… Please!" I begged to thin air, trying to trick myself into believing someone would come. My pleading, desperate words met with frozen silence, no one hearing my call. Parker's comm was dead, I couldn't call for help or do anything but wait.

I stifled my terror and swiftly hacked Parker's microphone so I could speak and listen for help. I heard the heavy sound of footfall approach, and I almost called out but then I heard the owner of the footsteps voice and I froze.

"Unnshu klinet fanashuk. Musha femash duns kanki un lua." The deep, alien voice barked harshly, "Wort!" The smaller footsteps scuttled away at the last word.

It was a Sangheili commander. I translated the words effortlessly. They were looking for me, to put it simply. I quickly hid my electronic pulse as the Sangheili stomped by, scanning the bodies for any AI activity. The heavy steps grew lighter and lighter and then faded into the distance and I relaxed slightly. _Too close, Cortana,_ I scolded myself.

Bang!

I started at the loud thud of something _very _heavy hitting the floor. My electronic pulse went up several counts as the steps grew closer.

"Cortana, do you read? This is John 117."

It was his voice. Deep and rough, edged with barely controlled anger and worry. My Spartan had returned.

"John!" I was too relieved I didn't notice I had used his true name, "I'm here! In the data card holder by Parker." I directed him hurriedly.

I waited as he fumbled around for my tiny chip, picking it up gently and sliding into the AI port in his helmet.

It was the best feeling in the world returning to that suit. I happily ran a check over the MJOLNIR's systems and wired myself into the suit's senses. Finally able to see what was around me. I saw the twisted, broken bodies of Parker, Iftodi, and Smith lying in their own blood. The piles of Grunts and Jackals spread around them. It was horrible.

I slowly spoke to Chief, the affection and gratitude clear in my words. "Thank you…John. You saved me."

"I'm trying not to make a habit of it." Chief grunted, grabbing Parker's BR55 battle rifle from his cold, dead fingers.

"Lets go then, slowpoke!." I lightly teased, "The others went to level five to get Keyes, they should be back by now…" My voice grew quiet as the horrible possibilities crowded my mind. Chief drew his newly acquired Covenant Needler and strode purposely down the hall and leaping into the smaller gravity lift.

We were carried up in the blue light, _Much like my own, _I randomly thought to myself. Chief touched down gently on the fifth level, where harsh lights shone down from the low ceiling, bringing out every detail of the alien prison hold.

It was remarkably clean without any blemish, no dust, no blood. Not even a single guard was patrolling the long corridors. It set me on edge.

I then heard the sounds of intense fighting, a long with some unnecessary swearing mingled in the fray. Me and Chief thought the same thing.

Keyes.

Chief's boots moved faster and faster, carrying us to Keyes's cell. We rounded the corner just in time to see Keyes shoot the last Covenant troop in the skull, with only two out of the five Marines Parker had sent still alive and helping.

"Your late, Master Chief." Keyes grunted, eyeing Chief up and down. "It's good to see you again though, and the men told me what happened. You shouldn't have come here" He gave a wry smile, "But…thank you."

"Your welcome, sir." Chief replied flatly.

"Do you have Cortana with you still?" The Commander asked warily.

"I can't seem to get rid of her." Chief said dryly, picking up more ammo from the dead corpses scattered around him.

I saw a flash of red on my radar and the warning was slipping off my tongue but Chief felt it first. He pivoted around, his arm flying forward as if in slow nation and connecting with the Sangheili Zealot's jaw.

Tiny droplets of deep purple blood flew from the bone crushing blow, each one making a small splash on Chief's armor. The Spartan twisted around again for another blow, grabbing its face in his large hands and getting a firm hold. The Zealot growled, its mandibles opening and spitting on Chief's gold visor. Its hoofed foot came up and landed a solid kick. Chief stumbled backwards from the heavy blow as the Sangheili pinned him to the cold ground, its three-fingered hand wrapping around Chief's neck.

"Oh no you don't!" I whispered fiercely as the Zealot readed to snap my Spartan's neck. I wired Chief's suit to my electronic waves, sending an electric shock across his armor and zapping the Sangheili's exposed fingers.

It howled in pain and released its hold for a millisecond, a century for an AI. But that was all Chief needed, he brought wrapped his arms around the creature and in the swiftest moment, snapped its solid neck bones. It gave a guttural moan and collapsed on the floor.

The Spartan stood and kicked the body disgustedly away, facing the commander. "There is an evac team ready to get us off, I suggest we leave now." He said stoically, pulling out his needler and casually shooting the Jackal that had crept up on him.

The Marines just stared, open-mouthed and eyes wide.

"Well…not to shabby, could work on the handling." Keyes critiqued, the awe stifled in his voice as he poked the Sangheili. "But yes, let's get off this ship before I have to kill some more aliens. It's almost dinner, I don't fight before I eat." With that, Keyes marched off towards the gravity lift, Chief and the rest of the men followed behind.

"Hey, did you see what I did back there?" I whispered slyly just to Chief.

He didn't say anything.

"I just saved your life, John, I think I deserve a metal." I teased, sending a little electric shock to his neck.

He jumped, "Cortana, get on the mission. Besides, I had everything under control." Chief assured me sourly.

"Oh yeah, that what they always say. Admit it, you need me!." I accused mockingly.

"Cortana?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

I laughed. I would never shut up.

* * *

**That's it. Bye.**

**Nah just kidding folks. I have more to say, like I am going to be a world-class pig racer. Ok not really but I just wanted to thank you for reading this and I apologize for any mistakes, you can only proofread so much, after all, I'm only human. But please review or do whatever you wanna do, feel free to flame and break my poor little heart… Nah, please keep the reviews constructive/positive/ friendly and keep me writing. It you wonderful people who keep me going on rough days. A hug for all of my steady, fabulous reviewers and a another hug for my two new reviewers, medicaldolphin and scaryrobots you all rock! Bye bye and I'll see you soon….**


	8. Chapter 8: The Secrets of Halo

**A quick shout out to Tyler (You are so sweet!), thelexy, the ****awesome FallenArkAngel, the ever so fabulous HappyHamsters, CJ-T bone the epic, and the wise hornet07 for reviewing last chapter. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! Ok, enough, its time to read!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. But soon I will take Halo for myself.. muahahah!**

* * *

_Love is blind. Friendship tries not to __notice."_

_-Anonymous _

* * *

I looked wistfully out over the shimmering sea, the waves lazily slapping the white beach of the island that approached in the horizon. The home of the Silent Cartographer. A place that the Covenant believed held the key to reaching the center of Halo, the strange planet we were stranded on. I had insisted that we try to reach it first, knowing that something dangerous could lurk in the heart of the Halo. So here we were, with a new team of Marines and with our own Pelican flying towards the lush island filled with secrets that I was dying to discover.

I was thrilled, Chief unfortunately, was not.

"Someday I'll get you to safety." Chief grumbled quietly to me, cleaning out the barrel of his well used magnum. I mentally grinned and stayed silent, continuing to monitor the Covenant battlenet. We stayed in silence as the Pelican glided through the air, the wind brushing over Chief's armor with feather light fingers and toying with one of the men's hair. It was relaxing and beautiful.

I dreamed I could feel the warmth of the sun, the breath of the salty sea air, the touch of a lover.

Dreams I could never bring to life.

My mind calculated the sun's age, size, and distance away from the Halo. It knew the exact temperature of the golden beams of sunlight, but I never would know what it was like to _feel _it. A human ruled by the mind does not know the pleasures of the heart.

A deep sigh slipped from my lips, audible only to myself and to Chief.

"John," I began, speaking his name softly, "What does the sun feel like?" The question was simple but it was the only question I couldn't answer. Chief didn't say anything at first, he just slowly continued to clean the gun. He then set it down and stood on the edge of the plane, gazing out over the sea; the sun's rays bouncing off his visor.

"It- " He started but was cut off by the pilot, Sergeant Stacker, yelling over the wind at Chief.

"Master Chief, we're landing so you might want to sit down." Stacker motion for Chief to sit and tuned back to the yoke, the Pelican landing with a bump on the sandy beach of the island.

Chief jumped from the plane, his primary gun, an M16 rifle, in his gloved hands. I quickly leapt into action, dropping an NAV point eight kilometers from the beach in a facility on the other end of the island. I then scanned the surrounding area for any Covenant troops, exactly fifteen heat signatures appeared on Chief's monitor.

"Prepare for enemy contact!" I warned stiffly from the comm.

Stacker waved his Marines into a defensive circle, keeping dead silent as we readied for the ambush.

_It's probably just some grunts. _I thought dully. Of course I was wrong.

Seven Sangheili with a handful of grunts and jackal snipers attacked viciously, plasma bullets burning through the once still air.

Chaos erupted.

Stacker was throwing grenades like a crazy man all while snapping orders at the men. Chief meanwhile flowed through the battle, like a graceful predator. A powerful grace that no one could do like a Spartan could. Battle was obviously where he belonged, and I wondered to myself, what would happen after the war?

I shook myself from that dark thought, forcing myself to stay on task.

I kept a sharp eye on my Spartan's health, shields and his surroundings. I warned him every so often when an enemy would draw near and he would eliminate it swiftly. We were a team. Two capable people who covered each others backs. We were not friends, at least not yet, only friendly allies who did their duty to each other.

"Cortana, call Foehammer and get us a ride." Chief ordered me, smashing the back of his magnum into the last Covenant jackal's skull.

I opened the comm before Chief even finished his sentence, "Foehammer, we need some transportation now."

"Affirmative. Echo 419 inbound, did somebody order a Warthog?" Foehammer replied teasingly.

On Marine pipped up on the comm, his voice thick with amusement. "Ah, music to my ears!" The man joked.

Foehammer's deep laugh could be heard on the other end, "You know our motto, 'We deliver'."

"All right, banters over let's get that hog over here." Stacker sighed, closing the comm as Foehammer's Pelican appeared over out heads, a slightly used Warthog dangling from its belly. Steel cables slowly lowered the vehicle down into the group of expectant men.

"Alright, lets move out. We got to find the Cartographer." I said eagerly as Chief climbed into the Warthog. "Oh, and Chief?" A slightly nervous wobble was in the question. "Please don't go too fast, I don't like it when you do that."

Chief slammed on the gas, the wheels shrieking in protest and spitting dirt up int the salty breeze. The Warthog started to go faster, bouncing over rocks and nearly flipping over a couple times. We tore down the beach towards a large complex that was built into a cliff wall, where a group of Covenant greets us with grenades and guns. The Warthog did not slow down as it barreled towards a Zealot.

"Um, Chief? I'm not so sure this is a good ideeaaaaa!" My voice grew higher pitched as the Warthog smashed into the Sangheili with full force, the poor Zealot was killed instantly, its body spread across the windshield. Chief turned on the windshield wipers and watched calmly as the body was wiped off, it blood smearing the glass.

"Sorry." He grunted to me, dismounting the Warthog and plunging into the fray.

"Sorry? No, I think I deserve a little more than a 'sorry'. I told you not to speed! What do you do? You go as fast as that cursed vehicle can go!" I yelled angrily at him, sending an electric shock to his neck. He twitched, mostly from surprise but ignored me. "Fine then, you are on your own, buddy. If you're not going to listen to my extremely useful advice then I might as well be back on Reach. So your going to have to get to the Cartographer on your own!" I decided hotly, turning off Chief's map and radar rather satisfyingly.

"Cortana…" Chief began, walking towards the building.

"Nope. I'm not changing my mind." I insisted stubbornly, feeling Chief's annoyance at me.

Chief growled under his breath and stormed into the building, mowing down any Covenant that was unlucky enough to stand in his way.

"Aw, is the big, bad Spartan not happy?" I teased mockingly.

A growl rumbled in his throat but he said nothing.

A Marine noticed Chief's obvious bad mood. "Girl problems?" The Marine asked sympathetically.

"No." Chief replied shortly, dismissing the Marine cooly.

"Sorry, just tryin' to help." The Marine walked ahead and disappeared down the hall. Chief jogged after him reaching an open door with two Sangheili on the other side.

"Chief! Don't let them shut that door!" I warned Chief as he dove under the closing door and right into a patrol of Grunts. He was up instantly and knocked the grunts over the edge of the platform he now stood on. He scanned the room for the Sangheili but they were nowhere to be found.

"Chief?" Came Stacker's worried voice from the other side of the door.

"We can't open the door, Sergeant, we're going to have to go alone. Just watch the door for us, ok?" I told Stacker. There was a long pause and then a heavy sigh form the other side.

"We'll watch your backs, just be quick." Stacker agreed, his footsteps moving away from the door and the sound of voices fading.

I took a deep breath and scanned the new part of the complex we were now in. Covenant crawled everywhere. Chief moved for was as I tried to get my bearings, he was perfectly silent, only the sound of his boots light hitting the floor with every step he took. A piece of debris fell off the platform int the darkness, it seemed to fall forever.

"Watch your step." I warned, as we continued to climb up the levels, not a single life form showing up on my radar. I sighed, "Listen, Chief, I shouldn't have been so harsh with you." I started quietly, "Even though it _was _mostly your fault I lost my temper I could have handled it better. I'm…sorry." I forced the apology from my mouth, my pride shrinking.

"I'm so-" He was cut off by the deep, guttural growl of a pair of Hunters. He leapt under the creature's legs, forced to duck and dive in on the narrow platform to evade the pair. I rolled my eyes and set to monitoring his shields and health as he broke into a dead sprint away from the Hunters. They pursued swiftly, each step shaking the glass platform. That's when I got a brilliant idea.

"Chief, hit the platform hard. It will break, probably, and send them down!" I advised him hurriedly as the Hunters grew closer.

"Probably?" He asked suspiciously.

I frowned, "Well, if you want exact numbers, the probability of it breaking is eleven point six five ten three eight one two four…"

"I get it." Chief interrupted impatiently. He drew his rifle and sprinted straight towards the large crack in the glass, the butt of his gun pointed straight towards it. The Hunter reached us first, its massive fist sweeping us off the platform and into the darkness. The creature lumbered away with its partner down the ramp.

I gulped as I looked down the shaft, "That was too close."

Chief nodded, his fingers gripping tightly to the platform edge, struggling to pull himself up. His body swung in the draft that blew up from the pit, just adding to my nervousness. With a grunt he heaved himself onto the platform, immediately searching for his gun.

"Chief, I think its down there." I broke to him, our vision both turning to the pit.

"Great." Chief huffed.

I snickered, "Looks like you'll be brushing up on your karate."

Chief sighed and pulled his empty magnum from his belt, advancing slowly up the endless glass ramp. It wasn't as endless as I had thought. We entered a large domed room, a small platform hovering in the center. A bridge faded into view, granting us access the Cartographer. A pedestal was in the center of the platform, holoscreens floating slowly around it. It began to spin faster and faster, the diagram of the Halo splitting into separate parts. Chief immediately put me into the pedestal and my shimmering, purple hologram appeared.

I analyzed the map, soaking in the precious information. "Halo's control center is located there," I pulled one of the pieces of the map closer. "That structure appears to be in a temple or some sort of shrine, if I interpreted it correctly." I paused, putting two of the Halo maps together. "Interesting. A shrine is an unlikely place to put such a significant installation."

"In English please." Chief sighed, looking me in the eye.

"The control center is in a shrine." I said flatly, rolling me eyes. _Spartans… _

"Thank you."

I could taste the sarcasm that lingered in his words. I narrowed my eyes at him and placed my hands on my curved hips. "Yank me. I need to call for an extraction team."

The massive, green armored Spartan moved forward, his large fingers reaching for my chip. I was swiftly inserted into his helmet and I immediately opened the comm. Foehammer spoke first.

"The Captain has dropped out of contact, Cortana, his ship may be out of range or having equipment problems." Foehammer told me, his voice calm but the slight edge to it made it clear that Keyes's disappearance worried him.

"Keep trying. Let me know when you've reestablished contact, and then tell him that John-117 and I have determined the location of the control center. We'll be heading there as soon as we're topside." I mentally promised that I would have a talk with Keyes when we got back in contact with him.

"Affirmative. Foehammer out."

I turned the comm off, "Chief, I'm dropping a NAV point for you to lead you to the top. Be quick, there's Covenant heat signatures near your location." The red dots flickered to life on the radar on the corner of Chief's visor. He saw them and began to run faster down the ramp, he barreled through the very surpassed patrol of Zealots and down the hallway. We burst into the warm sun. I let out a relived sigh. "Foehammer, we're on the topside, requesting pickup."

"We copy, coming up on you now." Foehammer replied, a Pelican swinging into view and landing on the beach with a thump.

Chief hopped on, grabbing the overhead bar and moving towards the cockpit where a short, brown-haired man sat.

"Lets get moving. Here's the flight plan and coordinates." I informed Foehammer briskly, transferring the data wirelessly to his computer.

"But, Cortana, these coordinates are underground!" Th pilot insisted, shock painted all over his face.

"The Covenant did a seismic scan. My analysis shows that the Halo is honeycombed with tunnels- which circle the ring." I told Foehammer smugly.

A tunnel opened up from under the beach, the mouth yawing open.

Foehammer gulped nervously, "I hope your right about this, Cortana, this Pelican can't turn on a dime." He warned grimly, guiding the plane into the massive tunnel.

I grinned, "Look on the bright side. Th least thing the Covenant expect is an aerial insertion…from underground."

Foehammer gave a nervous chuckle as we descended deeper into the shadows. Chief gripped the handle tighter and braced himself. I gave a maniacal laugh as the darkness swallowed us up.

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**I had lots of difficulty writing this chapter because A, it was confusing. And B, it was boring. But I ****persevered for you guys and managed to force this one out after rewriting it a million times. It turned out much longer that I had thought but oh well, you guys love long chappies! Don't you? Anyway, feel free to pop a friendly review in and join the wonderful group of reviewers on this story. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! (Mine was good, even though I gained a billion pounds from it and almost had a sugar coma from all the pie)**

**Bye, bye! Cya next time mates!**


	9. Chapter 9: Dread Secrets

_Luck marches with those who give their very best._

_H. Jackson Brown, Jr._

LINE

The Pelican flew swiftly through the long, dark tunnel, narrowly missing the metal walls.

"Hold on to your butts!" Foehammer called from the cockpit, putting the upward thrusters on full. We rocketed straight up into a massive dome. I saw a small minor Grunt pacing the open platform in front of us, he squeaked and ran away, tripping over his big, scaled feet towards the door. The Pelican hovered near the edge, Chief jumping off and raising his MA5 rifle to his shoulder.

"Thanks, Foehammer." I tossed at the pilot as Chief charged through the door the Grunt had escaped through. We entered a series of circular rooms, all made of a dull grey, smooth metal. Unfortunately we also walked into a very large Covenant patrol. I checked the HUD and was alarmed by the overwhelming amount of enemy lifeforms. "Chief, you have multiple Jackals and Grunts all over you." I warned him, looking for any escape routes.

"I know, Cortana." He grunted, dodging a primed plasma grenade that flew over his head.

"I was just trying to help!" I insisted, slightly miffed at Chief's tone.

He rammed the butt of his rifle into a Jackal's skull, making me pity the poor Jackal for a moment. "Sorry, Cortana." Chief grunted, running out of the area and emerging on a large bridge.

Soft, cold snowflakes drifted lazily from the white sky, landing gently on Chief's well used armor. The frosty wind breathed ice, blowing gustily over the hilled landscape. The weak sunbeams peeked out from the pure white of the sky and hit the snowy land, sending a bright glare bouncing off the snow. A pine tree's dark green branches bent under their heavy burden of snow, crystal clear ice sickles dangling form under the arched bridge.

It was so pure and unspoiled.

Very few thing I had saw in my short life would ever compare to the absolute purity and beauty I saw for that brief amount of time.

"It's so beautiful." I breathed softly, almost afraid if that I spoke too loudly, I would spoil the peaceful silence.

Chief moved forward, reloading his MA5 rifle. "We need to move."

"Interesting…the weather patterns ere seem natural not artificial. I wonder if the ring's environment systems are malfunctioning… or if the designers wanted the installation to have inclement weather…" I wondered out loud, almost dreamily.

"Cortana!" Chief's urgent tone snapped me from my wistful state. Multiple Covenant flowed out from the doors on the opposite end of the bridge, all firing directly at us.

"Pelican coming in hot on your left, Chief!" I shouted, watching as a damaged Pelican flew overhead, firing at the Covenant that swarmed on the bridge. The comm crackled to life.

"This is Fire Team Zulu requesting immediate backup. Does anyone copy?"

"I didn't think any human forces were left on this part of the ring." I commented to Chief, opening the comm. "Cortana to Fire Team Zulu. I read you. Requesting that you hold your position. We're on our way, Zulu." I ordered, watching the Pelican descend below the bridge into a snowy canyon. "Chief, I'm dropping a NAV point that will lead you through the structure behind us and down to ground level."

"Are there Covenant inside?" Chief asked quietly.

I checked, "Well yes."

The Spartan eyed the rocky cliff walls of the canyon below, as if he was going to jump. I grimaced as he took several steps back, ready to leap down.

"Chief." I began as he started to sprint, "I'm not sure this is such a good ideaaaa!" He made a wild jump and fell like a rock, a tiny ledge in the cliff wall our only hope for not falling to our deaths. His feet landed on the ledge with a thud, dirt and snow falling down to the ground that was a good one hundred feet down.

Chief looked around for another ledge below us. None, just smooth rock.

"We're screwed." I said flatly, staring down the canyon.

"We're fine." Chief insisted, drawing his wickedly sharp knife from its pocket on his thigh. I gulped.

"Your not going to slide down! Are you?" I exclaimed nervously, my heart sinking as he slammed the knife into the rock. It slid through and held fast. Chief grasped the knife with both hands, ready to take his feet off our wonderful, _safe_ ledge. "Please, John! You are a one ton super soldier, don't you know that? A knife is not meant to hold that weight!" I shouted angrily as he took one foot off the ledge. The other foot slid of the edge and we fell.

The blade cut through the stone and dirt, slightly controlling our fall. I screamed the entire way, praying that the knife held. The ground was forty feet down, I could see the ending, then the blade snapped as we fell faster that a comet.

"No! Please I don't want to die! No!" I screamed shrilly as the ground reached forward to embrace us with hard arms.

We slammed into the ground, Chief's legs buckling under the velocity. I winced and shut my visual perceptors, not wanting to see the outcome of Chief impatience. He miraculously stood to his feet, ignoring the Marines gathered around him, he had a slight limp but shook that off. He came to a stop in front of the Zulu Team leader.

"Orders, sir." Chief asked calmly.

The sergeant gaped at us but quickly shut his mouth, "Yes, sorry. I need you to take out the Covenant Wraith that is trapping us inside this canyon." He gestured towards the Wraith that sat in the snowy valley, shooting plasma mortars at a the Zulu Team. Several Shade turrets peppered the area with plasma fire if even one Marine stepped out from behind the overturned Warthog they hid behind.

Chief grabbed several grenades off the ground and marched towards the Wraith. A Sangheili fired at him with its carbine, just grazing Chief's armor. The Spartan ignored it and fell into a dead sprint, running full speed at the back of the Wraith. He jumped, a grenade primed in his hand and slammed into the back of the large Wraith. He held tightly onto the back as he shoved the grenade deep into the machine's engines. The Wraith gunner saw him and rained plasma on him. Chief leapt away and ducked behind a large boulder as the Wraith exploded into a million purple shards. He slowly emerged and looked at the mangled carnage of the Wraith and its drivers.

I stared at it, slightly impressed at Chief's strategy. I never let him know that though.

"Well…I suggest we take out the turrets next." I said, tearing my sight away from the mess. _Always leaving a mess… That I have to clean, _I thought grumpily. What was it with men and explosions?

Chief crouched down and fired at the turrets shooters, barely missing the grunt's head. He moved back to the team, taking out numerous Covenant troops along the way. He stopped beside the sergeant.

"Sir, there's too many. We need backup." Chief informed the battered, bloody leader grimly.

The sergeant gave a crazed grin. "Oh we got backup. A little present from Keyes before he sent us out to scout this region. Problem is, we can't flip it" He pointed a little ways ahead, a Scorpion tank resting on its side in the deep snow.

I simply stared at it, a smile tugging at my lips. Chief was speechless.

"Thank you. I'm sure Chief will put it to good use." I said happily through the comm, not taking my sight off the tank.

Chief shook his head and jogged to it, waving some of the men over to help him. He and three others bent down and grasped the vehicle, lifting it slowly. The snow helped and it flipped over the rest of the way, the earth-shaking as it landed solidly. Chief climbed up and hopped into the driver's seat located within the belly of the massive Scorpion. Even though he tried to hide it from me, I knew he was exited. I felt a tang of jealousy as Chief revved the engines and rolled down towards the smaller Wraiths and Covenant troops. He shot with a stifled glee as each Wraith exploded in a brilliant ball of orange and purple flames.

"You lucky boy." I grumbled under my breath.

"I know." He replied lightly.

"I hate you." I snapped, watching as Chief blew a group of grunts sky-high.

"I know."

I gave a long sigh and boredly set to watching the tanks shields, trying to ignore the whoops of the men every time Chief blasted another Covenant machine.

The shrill sound of a warning bell went off and the controls of the tank flashed red, alerting that something bad happened. "Chief, What did you do?!" I shouted, trying to figure out what had happened to the Scorpion.

He opened the hatch quickly, bursting into the cold, fresh air of the valley. A massive Wraith plasma fireball arced through the snowflake filled air, straight towards us and the tank. Chief pulled himself from the small cockpit and leaped off the tank. The fireball collided with the tank with a brilliant explosion of gold flames, the shockwave sending Chief flying into a rock wall with a heavy thud.

"Chief, are you alright?" I asked urgently, checking his vitals frantically.

Chief grunted and stood slowly to his feet. "I'm fine." He answered gruffly, "Now stop fussing."

I frowned, "I am not fussing!" I insisted hotly, "Just…calibrating my systems. The shockwave sent me off-balance a bit." I lied, trying got hide my past concern for my protector. Chief didn't reply but I could almost feel the smirk on his face.

Chief started to run straight towards a drop off that hid in the large valley, a drop I had no idea how long it was.

"John, what are you doing?" I asked as calmly as I could as the edge grew nearer.

"Its fine." He grunted, leaping into the empty air.

I was sick of Chief's obsession with leaping off edges, but thankfully used to it. I didn't say a word as we plummeted for a moment and landed heavily on a Covenant fighter aircraft. A Type 26 Ground Support Aircraft to be precise. Or as the men called it, a Banshee. It flew incredibly fast and moved with great agility, trying in vain to knock us off into oblivion. Chief opened the hatch and knocked the helpless Grunt out, its pitiful screams echoing as it fell down to the hard earth below. Chief inserted himself into the tiny aircraft, sliding onto his belly and grabbing the controls not made for human fingers.

The Banshee lurched and then glided smoothly forward, picking off Covenant as Chief flew towards the doors that hid the Halo control room. Chief aimed the nose of the aircraft towards the ground, just in front of the massive rock wall with pair of metal doors set into it.

"You do know this craft does not have a braking system. Right?" I reminded Chief, my voice strained.

"Cortana." He huffed, exasperated as we barreled towards the snow. "I am a highly trained Spartan, I think I know how to land a Banshee." Chief yanked up on the yoke as we landed roughly in a large, fluffy snowdrift. He climbed out from the smoking machine into the clear air, the Zulu team circled worriedly around us. Snow chunks fell off Chief's helmet, sending a couple of men snickering quietly.

"You look like a fairy snow princess." One Marine giggled unwisely. I snorted.

Chief stalked up to him and brushed by him roughly, sending the Marine tumbling into the snow with and indignant yell. He walked quickly to the doors, his boots making large footprints in the light bed of snowflakes. I was still laughing when we arrived at the doors. I tried to compose myself, but failed when my mind brought up the mental picture I had of Chief wearing a tutu and holding a wand.

"Cortana…" He trailed off warningly, inserting me into the dock next to the doors.

I sniffed and composed myself, "Sorry, I'm on it...princess."

"Cortana!" Chief exclaimed, his tone threatening and _very _annoyed.

I gulped back the other snarky quips I had and set to work, opening the doors easily. Chief grabbed my chip and cautiously entered through the large doors into a bigger corridor, where several Covenant greeted us with plasma and grenades. I quickly sized up the enemy forces. Four Sangheili, six grunts, and two Hunters. The Covenant did know how to give a grand welcome.

One of the Sangheili lunged forward, knocking Chief solidly in the chest. Chief pivoted and drew the chunk of metal that doubled as his knife. The Sangheili grabbed Chief's forearms, stopping Chief from jamming the makeshift knife into its throat. Chief was thrown roughly onto the floor, the Sangheili looming over him, its mandibles opening and hissing at Chief. It reached for the clasps that held Chief's helmet securely on his head.

"Mirrock sdan ungogg meas, hushan." It grunted.

I effortlessly translated it. "It said, lets see your face, human." I whispered to Chief as the creature lifted the helmet.

It gasped and fell froward, dead, crushing us under its limp body. Chief scrambled out from under it, shoving the massive corpse away and grabbing the helmet that had rolled away. Only the Marine that had saved our lives saw a glimpse of Chief's face before the mask was returned safely to the silent Spartan's head.

"Thank you." Chief tossed over his shoulder at the Marine, while running forward to help the rest of the men kill the last Hunter. The small man just stared at us as the battle flowed around him.

The last Covenant fell and we proceeded slowly, checking every corner for more Covenant to ambush us. The air was deathly still though, not a soul seeming to wander the empty halls.

"Why don't you take the helmet off, John?" I asked quietly, guiding my Spartan closer to the control room.

He was quiet for a bit, but he gave a small sigh. "It's my protection. Its better if no one knew me, or recognized me."

I paused, rolling his words around in my head. He was so secretive, which made me all the more curious about his dark past, and that he had opened up a bit, made me think that maybe we could become friends someday. We practically already were, but he always held back. Someday he might talk, but not today, but he had seven years to talk. Just seven.

"We're here." Chief told me and the men gruffly, "Zulu Team, can you watch the entrance for more Covenant?"

"We sure will, Master Chief." The sergeant agreed, waving him men to form a defensive position around the set of doors that lead into the control room.

Chief banged the doors open, and was greeted with a massive domed room. A circular glass walkway stretched around the control panel and the hologram map of Halo with a smaller holographic map showing two other worlds. I was thrilled, all this knowledge was practically at my fingertips!

"Plug me in." I ordered Chief excitedly. He obeyed and interred me into the computer.

Hundreds of numbers and words and data bombarded me at the same time, making my blue avatar shift colors, green, red, purple.

"Cortana, are you alright?" Chief asked, slight worry edging his words.

"I'm fine!" I assured him, sorting the data and inserting it into my data banks. I wanted to look at the otter information, but concentrated on what Keyes wanted me to find. He had come briefly back into contact, saying that he had heard from the Covenant that there was a weapons catch deep inside the planet. He had gone out to find it, effectively dropping out of communication. I mostly came here to find out more about the planet, but I looked up what was in the catch.

"So what kind of weapon is it?" Chief interrupted, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I turned to face him, a confused look on my holographic features. "What are you talking about?"

"The Halo…how do we use it against the Covenant?" He questioned, exasperated.

I laughed, "The ring isn't a cudgel, you barbarian, its something else… much more important." I scanned the data once more, my words trailing off. "This ring was built by the Forerunners…they called it the 'fortress world', in order to…no, that can't be!" I exclaimed worriedly. "Oh, those Covenant fools, they must have known, there must have been signs!"

Chief moved closer, bending down to look me straight in the eye. "Cortana, your losing me."

I took a shaky breath, "The Covenant found something, buried in this ring, something horrible…and their afraid."

Chief stood, pacing back and forth. "Where?" He asked bluntly.

I check the data banks and a horrified look spreads across my features. "The Captain, we've got to stop Keyes!"

"Keyes? What do we-"

I hushed him, "The weapons catch he's looking for. It's not really- we can't let him get inside!"

Chief looked mildly confused, "I don't understa-"

I interrupted him again, "No time to explain. Get out of here, find Keyes, stop him before its too late!"

Chief hesitated but turned and sprinted out, leaving me alone in the cold room.

"Be safe." I whispered after him.

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**Ok, first off. I have perfectly rational exudes for not updating. First, I had a series of unfortunate events which made me too busy to write or too grumpy. Second I had a cookie party last night so I was unable to write sunday either. But I finally have scraped up enough time to write for you wonderful people! Thank you so much for giving me 56 awesome reviews, I am ****extremely**** happy about that and that was the only thing that kept me going last week. I haven't yet thanked you guys personally but I will get to that, thank you for making me smile and I will see you next chapter! Allonsey!**


	10. Chapter 10: The Flood

**Warning: This chapter will contain some light horror elements and relatively detailed Flood descriptions. I know most of you have probably already seen the Flood but it's just a little warning. Also, thanks for 65 reviews! Excuse me while I go do my happy dance:D**

**Disclaimer: Ahem, I own nothing, other than the beloved Halo games I bought.**

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_"You don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say 'no'. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone runs away!"_

_Rose Tyler, Doctor Who_

* * *

He was running, away from Cortana, away from the Pelican that had dropped him in this forsaken marsh. He was running towards Keyes, towards the unknown, where the last transmission had come in from Keyes and his team. His breath was steady and controlled, his feet moving steadily across the musty smelling mud. Internally, as he ran, he cursed himself for leaving his AI behind. Though Chief never wanted to admit it, she was helpful sometimes, and her calm voice kept him focused and steady. He had no time to get lost in his thoughts though, he had a goal and that was supposed to be his sole focus now, not a computer. His comm crackled to life.

"The last transmission from the Captain's dropship was from this area. That was twelve hours ago." The stern voice of Pilot Carol Rawley, ordered in Chief's ear, the comm shorting out and making it difficult to hear her words.

Chief tapped the side of his helmet, annoyed, trying it in vain to get the comm clear again. It didn't work. Chief sighed and set back to navigating the foul swamp. Suddenly the distant sound of a transmission coming from his right echoed through the twisted trees. He stopped and moved cautiously towards it.

_"_Dropship Victor 933-" Static covered the words that came from a crashed dropship. It was empty of any signs of life, but no bodies were anywhere to be found. Chief shook off the eery chill that ran its icy cold fingers up his spine and moved forward to grab some ammo from the dropped guns on the spongy dirt. The transmission came to life again, this time closer and seeming to come from behind Chief.

"Pillar of Autumn, we need assistance- we are under att- Please- I will set this transmission to repeat at- regular intervals. This is a new hostile!" The desperate voice yelled from the comm that lay on the ground, static interrupting the voice numerous times. "Keyes has been captured by the hostiles, we can't seem to kill them! No, no, no, no…" The static completely covered the voice and it began to repeat itself. Chief backed away, his every nerve on edge and his body tense and stiffer that a board. The Spartan crept slowly away from the ship, following the trail of freshly turned up soil and footprints.

He quickly finished a small group of Grunts and Kig-yar and headed towards a fallen Covenant Spirit. Several shadowy figures ran along the cliffside to his right, their shape strange and twisted, barely humanoid. Chief quickly steeled himself and gripped his gun tighter, keeping a very close eye on his radar. A couple friendly units showed up a few kilometers away on his radar, and he immediately perked up, but the units disappeared as quickly as they had appeared. Not a trace left.

The air smelled of death and decay, no sun shining through the spindly branches of the drooping, dead trees. Despite the chilling silence, there was no bodies to show a massacre or a fight.

Now he _really _wished he had brought Cortana along.

The distant fire a Assault Rifle cracked through the thick, stagnant air. Chief ran towards it as fast as he could, his long legs moving gracefully over the rough terrain. Another group of Grunts and Kig-yar fleeing from an A-shaped structure, they brushed by him, too terrified by wherever they were fleeing from to stop and attack Chief.

That was the part that actually sent a spike of fear into his heart. The Covenant never just ran by a UNSC soldier, and especially not a Spartan like Chief.

Maybe a group of Marines were driving the Grunts away? He hurried to the entrance of the building, silently wishing that friendly, alive units were inside. Nothing was there, nothing at all. A lift rose from the shaft in the back of the small entrance, as if it was waiting for him. He stood on it, not moving an inch as it lowered him into the black depths of the building. It dropped him off gently into a series of corridors and empty rooms, all filled with dead, stinking bodies. Both Covenant and man alike.

A strange off yellow substance dripped off the ceiling and onto Chief's boot, the smell like rotting flesh. The Covenant bodies were positioned as if they had defended themselves against something. Something horrible by the looks of the bodies. He took a quiet breath and steps into the next room, the endless labyrinth of rooms and hallways leading him in no direction at all. He finally entered a larger room with scorch marks decorating the dull grey walls. One of the windows shattered without warning, making Chief whip around towards the sound. A lone Marine sat, half propped up by the cold wall, a pistol aimed towards Chief's head. The Spartan gave a relieved sigh and moved closer, holding his hands up to show peace.

"I am John 117 of UNSC. Please-" He was cut off by the Marine shooting wildly at him, the bullet narrowly missing his helmet. Chief immediately stopped, suspiciously staring at nervous man.

"I'll-I'll blow your brains out! I will not become one of you!" The clearly insane soldier screamed shrilly, his voice barely human. The man broke down into terrified sobs, his body shaking as tears streamed down his bloody, dirty face.

Chief mentally swore, Cortana would know how to comfort the traumatized soldier. Chief knew nothing of empathizing, or comfort or hope. It was something UNSC had overlooked in his training. The seven-foot Spartan moved slowly forward, crouching down to a low squat next to the sobbing Marine.

"Look…" Chief paused, searching for the right words. "It alright, I am not one of…them."

The Marine shifted away, his eyes wild and almost animalistic, and Chief realized it. The man had been scared to madness.

He pursed his lips slightly and came up with a new plan. He reached up, causing the man to shriek and move father away, and undid the clasps to his helmet slowly, his thick fingers stumbling over the tiny locks. It slid off and Chief took a deep breath of the fresh air, giving a strained smile at the mad soldier.

"I'm human. See?" Why did he feel like he was lying in telling the man he was human?

The Marine reached forward tentatively and touched Chief's pale forehead, Chief tensing at the touch of the man's icy fingers. More tears trickled down the Marine's cheeks, this time out of pure joy and relief.

"Save me, please." The soldier whispered roughly, his green eyes glittering with fragile hope and trust.

Chief managed a more real smile, "Lets go then." He lowered the helmet back on and slowly helped the soldier up. The Marine shakily reloaded his pistol and limped quickly after Chief who moved ahead into the next room. A single rifle laid on the ground, as if it was pointing towards the entrance of a room filled with ominous Forerunner glyphs. Chief entered carefully, making sure the Marine was keeping up. Chief approached a door on the other end of the glyphs room and cautiously opened the door, a dead body of a Marine falling into his arms. The body's eyes were bulging open, dry blood caking his mouth and eyes. Chief winced and gently set the body down on the ground, the rescued soldier behind him whimpering softly behind him.

Bodies, blood, and guns littered the blood soaked floor. A lone helmet lies in the center of the mess, the name JENKINS stamped boldly across it.

Chief picked up the helmet in his massive hands, turning it over and inspecting it carefully. The helmet recorder was still there and fully intact. He teased it from it spot in the base of the helmet and inserted it into the back of his own helmet, exactly where Cortana had been. The recording started to play.

_Open record view (25.56L)_

Pvt Jenkins, Wallace A

Flip music started to play, blasting from the recording and into Chief's ears making him wince.

_"Why do we have to listen to this old stuff, Sarge?" Asked a younger, more sarcastic voice._

_A rough voice barked back, Johnson's voice. "Watch your mouth son. This 'stuff' is history, it should remind you grunts of what we're fighting for."_

_The younger Marine gave a bitter laugh, "Hey…if the Covenant want to wipe out this bit of history, that's fine by me!"_

_Another Marine piped up from farther away, his Scottish burr making his words hard to hear. "Yeah… better tha' us."_

_"You ask em' real nice next time you see them, Bishop. I'm sure they'll be happy to oblige." Johnson sighed, dropping an item on the ground with a clatter._

_FFW_

_PLAY_

_"Stupid mud." Johnson grumbled as Chief interpreted that the group was walking in a swamp. "Jenkins, wait for the Captain and his squad and get your sorry butt inside that building."_

_"Yes sir!" Jenkins replied briskly, the squishy sounds of mud sucking at the men's boots. _

_"All right, lets move!" Johnson barked and the team moved forward into the building. _

_FFW_

_PLAY_

_"What the…" Johnson trailed off, apparently stating at something grisly. "The whole chest has been ripped open!" _

_The sound of boots shuffling to see what Johnson was seeing filled Chief's ears. _

_"Weird? I mean look at it," The second man moved forward to get a better look, "something scrambled its insides."_

_Johnson grunted, "Looks like a Covenant patrol. Elite units, all KIA." _

_Then Keyes voice interjected, "Real pretty. Friend of yours?" He asked sarcastically. _

_"Nah, we just met." Jonson laughed, the team moving away again._

_FFW_

_PLAY_

_"I've got a bad feelin' about this, Sarge." The Scottish Marine said nervously._

_"Boy, you have a bad feeling about everything." Johnson replied, walking into the room. His comm crackled to life, loud enough for the team to hear._

_We've got contacts sir, lot of em'! Their not Covenant though, they're just tearing through us….What the… No! No! Noooo!" The comm cut off, the man's horrific screams still ringing through the room. Other sounds had been the background, horrible screeching noises and unearthly shrieks. The hissing noise filling the comm._

_"Mindaugh, get up there now! Find out what the hell is going on." Johnson ordered shakily._

_"But-"_

_"No buts, just do." Johnson snapped._

_The man scurried from the room, the hissing sound from the comm returning, but real and closer. _

_"Listen!" Jonson told the men in a harsh whisper. "Where's it coming from?"_

_The Scottish man moved slowly around. "I don't know…" Then the sound of a door crashing open end the horrific hissing filled room. Everything was chaos as the men scrambled to shoot whatever was in the room with them. The Scottish soldier screamed as something attacked him viciously. "Get it off! No! Please!" He shrieked. _

_"Theres too many!" Johnson yelled hoarsely, the attackers moving all around them. "Jenkins!" _

_Unexpected Halt X (WND/INCAP/KIA?Ref .a4 3d. 3)_

_End Record_

_The screams of Jenkins filled Chief's ears. The unearthly pleas wouldn't stop, just the screaming and hissing. the sound of flesh tearing open and the moans of dying men…_

Chief ripped the recorder out of his helmet, visibly shaken. He threw it to the ground and moved towards the door which had been open, but was now locked. The Marine he had rescued cowered in a corner.

"We will never survive. I'll never see my home, my family again… No, please!" The man whimpered, curling up into a ball and holding his head between his hands. Soft moans came up from his throat as he rocked slowly back and forth. Chief steadied himself and looked away from the mad soldier.

"Help me, and maybe you will see Earth again." Chief said shortly as he aimed his rifle at the door, waiting for the monstrosity to show itself. He could almost count his heartbeat.

One.

Two.

Three.

Fou-

The door burst open, dozens of small, tentacled creatures flooding the room. Bulbous sacs were attached to the top of their tentacles, which reached for the two men.

Chief shot quickly into the fray, the Marine standing up and helping. Bullets flew and took down many of the creatures, but more still poured in. Chief gestured for the Marine to follow him as he sprinted for the door, he slammed it shut as the soldier slipped out of the room, both men breathing heavily.

"Stay close or we're both dead." Chief ordered bluntly, reloading as taking off toward the lift that had taken him down here. A few of the monsters struggled to live, their mauled bodies twitching on the floor. Chief felt no pity for them, his boot grinding into their bodies viciously.

They arrived at the elevator shaft, Chief slamming the button, waiting impatiently for the lift to arrive. It fell down from the top of the shaft, slamming the ground with a boom, effectively ruining their chances of living. Chief growled and turned away, rushing the Marine forward as he searched for another lift to get them out of there. He was almost missing the swamp, at least there was none of those…creatures out there. He spots another lift, this time leading farther down, but its their only chance. More of the beasts advanced swiftly, tentacles reaching for the men's flesh.

Chief ran onto the lift, hitting the button frantically as the lift shot down into the darkness. The Marine next to him close to having a full on heart attack. It came to a halt on the bottom level, where two sane Marine fought back against the overwhelming numbers of creatures. Chief sighed with relief and he and his Marine joined in the fight, quickly finishing off the rest of the monsters. The Spartan only managed a brief nod towards the Marines before the tiny band ran to the next elevator which was only a few meters away.

A low, guttural snarl came from behind them. A massive, Sangheili stood behind them, but it was different. Its armor was gone, leaving bulbous, dull brown growths all over its body. It head was handing by a mere tendril of rotting flesh, its energy sword covered in the dull brown growths and flesh but still sharp. Several of the smaller creatures with the tentacles floated behind it, ready to pounce, and they did. Chaos erupted, the smaller creatures lunging for them while the infected Sangheili headed for Chief. It was bigger than normal Sangheili and had unnatural strength. It grappled with him, its stretched open mandibles centimeters away from Chief's throat. The Spartan drew his new knife and slammed it into its chest, it ignored the wound and roared, pushing Chief to the ground, ready to snap his spine.

"H-hey! Eat this!." The insane Marine yelled shakily. His shotgun exploded in a shower of bullets and blew the Sangheili's skull off from its shoulders, only a yellow powder coming from the wound. The creature twitched and fell down dead, a certain peace in its tiny, violet eyes.

"Thanks." Chief grunted as the Marine helped him up.

The soldier gave him a serious look, "Just get me home."

Chief met the soldier's gaze, "I promise I will get your back to your family." He swore darkly, throwing away his empty clip and eyeing the piles of bodies, the two soldiers both dead. He turned back to the Marine who's eyes widened, and the man threw himself forward, blocking Chief from the last of the creatures that was about to attack him.

The monster latched onto the Marine's chest and burrowed into his flesh, its tentacles dripping with blood, the man screaming and writhing as it burrowed deeper. Chief forced himself to move and slammed the butt of his rifle into the creature, its bulbous sac exploding into slime and dust and instantly killing it. He rushed to the dying man's side, laying his gun down and analyzing the deep, ripped wound. Chief could see the solder's rib bones, the man's organs were punctured and spitting blood. He knew he couldn't save the soldier.

Another promise broken.

The Marine coughed, a deep shudder running down his limp body. His fingers moved weakly to a tiny, frayed, blood stained photo a beautiful woman holding a baby in her arms. The picture looked so peaceful, a snapshot of something Chief never could have.

"Find them." The man coughed, blood flying from his lips and speckling Chief's visor. He pressed the precious photo into Chief's glove, and with that, his breath expired. His soul leaving his mauled body and heading away from the war-torn ring and, maybe, to a better place.

Chief stood slowly, tucking the crumpled photo tenderly into his armor. He closed the man's bulging eyes carefully, picking up his gun and walking softly from the carnage. Towards the lift that would take him into the light, and away from the death and hopelessness that clouded that evil place. He stood like a statue as he was carried up into the dim, grey light, ignoring the static coming in on his comm.

"This is Echo 419. Chief, is that you? I lost your signal when you disappeared into the structure. Whats going on down there? I'm getting readings everywhere!" Carol asked worriedly from the comm, her voice grainy and distant.

Chief sighed and opened the comm, "There's a new life form that infects its enemies. Its taking out all the troops, and turning them into some sort of host." He informed her briskly all while advancing forward. "I now know that these creatures took Captain Keyes and wiped out two teams consisting of ten units each.

"Thank you, Chief." She said calmly, "I am sensing a large tower a few hundred meters away from you. I'll pick you up there."

"Got it." Chief responded, trying to take his mind off the soldier and the photo. He tuned the comm off and hiked through the jungle he was now in, the flies buzzing lazily around his face. He stopped at the base of the tower and started to climb up the winding staircase, breaking into a jog as he burst out onto the top of the tower. Then, the creatures and the Covenant and humans they had infected burst out behind him, ready to kill. Chief whirled around, firing at them as quickly as he could as they surrounded him. Claws grasped for him.

_I'm sorry, Cortana. _

* * *

I sat in the holo podium, staring at the doors that lead into the control room. Watching, waiting for my Spartan to come back. Worries flooded my mind, but I drove them back, knowing that he would come back. he always came back. After all, Spartans never die. they just go missing in combat.

They never die.

Do they?

* * *

**So, it's a cliffy. I did more into emotion in this chapter that fighting, hope you weren't bored! I ****wasn't, I had a blast writing this one! What do you think? Thumbs up hopefully? I am actually really pleased with this chapter, so I would like some feedback. Also here some info for the future go this story. This first book with span Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2. The next one, Darkness and Shadows, will span from Halo 3 to Halo 4. The third book in this trilogy will be the aftermath of the wars and will go into a not so normal life of Chief. I am still deciding weather to let Keyes live, I will have a poll up soon so don't forget to vote! **

**That's it so please review if you remotely like this story and stay fabulous. **

**PS. I will put updates and info on this story on my profile page, so check there for info. Feel free to PM me with questions or suggestions for this fic.**


	11. Author's Note IMPORTANT please read

**I know you all were expecting another chapter, and don't worry, It will come! I just posted this to let you know that I will be doing over the Christmas holidays. **

**I will be editing and polishing up the first five chapters just to make this story better quality and to fix some plot line holes. This will take up all of my little time over the holidays since I am extremely busy studying and fulfilling other commitments. But have no fear! I promise on the blood of my forefathers that I will post a Christmas One-Shot featuring Master Chief and Human!Cortana. It will be full of fluffy romance and humorous banter. It will also have a guest appearance of Sergeant Johnson and 343 Guilty Spark. It will be posted 25/12/13, and will be between 1,500 to 5,000 words. **

**That is it and thanks for sticking with me and giving me 70 something reviews, I love you guys! Have a very Merry Christmas and don't forget to read my fixed chapters on this story!**

**This note will be deleted by 30/12/23**


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